The 3 greatest pitchers in MLB history

In every single era of Major League Baseball, there have been generational pitchers who have graced MLB fans with their presence. From Sandy Koufax to Randy Johnson, from Greg Maddux to Justin Verlander, from Nolan Ryan to Clayton Kershaw, there have been so many legends.

These pitchers all had the elite attributes that changed the course of both MLB history and the trajectory of each franchise that they played for. Whether they had game-changing speed on the fastball or nasty off-speed pitches, they were all nearly unhittable in their primes. Here are the three greatest MLB pitchers of all-time:

#1 - Sandy Koufax

Koufax accomplished everything that young pitchers dream of. The seven-time All-Star was a three-time Cy Young winner (the first pitcher in MLB history to do so). He also won four World Series Championships with the Dodgers and was a two-time World Series MVP. During his 12-year career (1955-1966), he led the MLB in wins with three and strikeouts with four. He also pitched a ridiculous four no-hitters.

According to MLB.com, Koufax is second all-time, behind Nolan Ryan, in batting average allowed (.205). The 1972 Hall of Fame inductee was the first-ever pitcher to allow less than seven hits per nine innings (6.79). Koufax is one of the best curveball pitchers in MLB history. There will never be another lefty like the five-time NL ERA leader.

#2 - Nolan Ryan

Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history? This honor belongs to the great Nolan Ryan. Ryan led the MLB in strikeouts a whopping eleven times. He also pitched a record seven no-hitters. The 1999 Hall of Fame inductee's career portfolio is utterly absurd. He pitched in the MLB for a record 27 seasons. He is also a Hall of Fame member of the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers.

The eight-time All-Star started his career in 1966 with the New York Mets and retired in 1993 after playing with the Rangers. The 1969 World Series winner also holds the MLB record for batting average allowed (.204). Nolan Ryan is not just one of the league's greatest pitchers ever, but he is one of the greatest overall players in history.

#3 - Greg Maddux

Another eight-time All-Star would be a legend by the name of Greg Maddux. He, like Ryan, had a long career (23 seasons played). A 1995 World Series winner with the Braves, Maddux won an unreal four Cy Young Awards (1992-1995) during his time in Atlanta. The four-time MLB ERA leader became a member of the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Maddux had seven different pitches that he used primarily during his career. He used a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a curveball, a cutter, a splitter, a slider, and a circle change pitch. He finished in the top 10 in strikeouts (3,371) and wins (355). A case could be made that Greg Maddux is the best MLB pitcher of the last 30 years.